University of Arkansas football Coach Sam Pittman and staff will host their first official visitors in about 16 months when at least seven prospects are expected to arrive today for official visits.
Defensive end Tomiwa Durojaiye, 6-5, 250 pounds, of Middletown, Del., is expected to arrive in Fayetteville around 1 p.m. to start his official visit.
He announced a top eight of Arkansas, Duke, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, South Carolina and West Virginia on May 16 while saying his recruitment was still open.
He plans to use the trip to Fayetteville as a fact-finding mission.
“Just getting a feel for the campus, the football team, the staff,” Durojaiye said. “Really [to] meet the coaches and get to know them, and watch film with the coaches, and see how I fit into the scheme.
“Also another big thing is the off-campus feel. I want the University of Arkansas to feel like a school I would go to if I wasn’t playing football.”
Durojaiye, who will be accompanied to Arkansas by his mother and sister, has been communicating with Pittman, defensive coordinator Barry Odom and defensive line coach Jermial Ashley.
“Coach Pittman reaches out a lot,” he said. “I’m talking to Coach Ashley at least once or twice a week.”
He said he has a great “vibe” with Ashley.
“I feel like Coach Ashley is a fair coach,” Durojaiye said. “When I have a conversation with him the topic isn’t always about football. So I enjoy talking to Coach Ashley a lot.”
The Arkansas coaches have told Durojaiye the Hogs need his pass-rushing ability off the edge.
“They have a lot of older guys leaving,” Durojaiye said. “I like the opportunity to go and play early but I have to earn it. I know I’m wanted. I feel wanted I just need to know if it’s the right fit.”
Durojaiye recorded 45 tackles,19 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and had 2 blocked kicks in 8 games as a junior while earning first-team all-conference and all-state honors.
At least three Razorback commitments, Greenland defensive lineman JJ Hollingsworth, Clarendon tight end Dax Courtney and Little Rock Parkview running back James Jointer plan to also visit so they can help recruit the official visitors to Fayetteville.
Durojaiye said he hasn’t talked to any Arkansas pledges but is looking forward to meeting some.
“I’m looking forward to meeting some of them I know a lot of them are coming in this weekend,” he said.
He also has other offers from Kentucky, Maryland, Vanderbilt and others. Durojaiye made an unofficial visit to Rutgers on Wednesday. He mentioned three official visits he plans to take after Arkansas.
“Next week I’m going to Georgia Tech,” he said. “The weekend after that I’ll be going to Northwestern, and the weekend after that I’ll go to South Carolina, and then I’m taking a few unofficial [visits] to Kentucky and Vanderbilt in July. I plan on checking out Rutgers, Penn State and West Virginia unofficially.”
He said the latest he’ll announce his college decision would be the first week of September.